October 3, 2008 

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Fourth Addendum to the 

Transbay Terminal/Caltrain Downtown Extension/Redevelopment Project 

Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report 

(SCH #95063004)

INTRODUCTION 

In April 2004, the Transbay Terminal/Caltrain Downtown Extension/Redevelopment Project 

FEIS/EIR (SCH #95063004) was certified by the City and County of San Francisco, the 

Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, and the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency. 

Pursuant to Section 15164 of the guidelines implementing the California Environmental Quality 

Act (CEQA), the following addenda to the FEIS/EIR have been prepared. 

• A first addendum to the FEIS/EIR identified modifications to the Transbay Transit Center 

design and construction staging and revisions to the Temporary Terminal site plan. The first 

addendum was adopted by the Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) Board of Directors 

on June 2, 2006. 

• A second addendum revised the Locally Preferred Alternative for the Caltrain Downtown 

Extension Project (DTX), including design revisions to allow future construction of a 

Townsend/Embarcadero/Main Loop and to allow a delay in construction of tail tracks on 

Main Street pending the outcome of future rail planning studies to accommodate California 

High-Speed Rail. The second addendum was adopted by the TJPA Board on April 17, 2007. 

• A third addendum amended the list of properties identified for full acquisition to include 546 

Howard Street, which was identified in the FEIS/EIR for partial acquisition. The third 

addendum was adopted by the TJPA Board on January 17, 2008. 

This document constitutes the fourth addendum to the FEIS/EIR. 

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF FOURTH ADDENDUM 

The fourth addendum describes proposed modifications to the Temporary Terminal (referred to 

as the Revised Temporary Terminal). As indicated on page 2-21 of the FEIS/EIR, the 

Temporary Terminal is an interim surface facility that would replace the Transbay Terminal 

during its demolition and reconstruction. Beginning in 2009, all buses currently serving the 

Transbay Terminal would use the Temporary Terminal until the new building and bus ramps are 

reconstructed. As indicated in the FEIS/EIR, the structures will be removed as soon as bus 

operations are relocated to the Transit Center, and the land can be developed for multistory 

residential buildings and a park. 

Although the purpose and function of the Temporary Terminal remains as stated in the 

FEIS/EIR, pursuant to the proposed project revisions, the configuration of the terminal, boarding 

platforms and waiting areas, bus staging areas, and street design has changed. Instead of 

being located on two adjacent blocks, the Revised Temporary Terminal will be confined to one 

block, bounded by Howard, Main, Folsom, and Beale streets. The Revised Temporary Terminal 

will contain AC Transit and Greyhound operations in separate operating areas and facilities 

(Figure 1). 
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The consolidated operation of buses onto one block requires the reconfiguration of the bus 

operating areas and circulation patterns described in the FEIS/EIR (pages 2-21 and 5-184). In 

the revised scenario, AC Transit uses a center boarding facility that contains a 1,030-squarefoot office building and a 700-square-foot security office in a landscaped plaza in the northern 

portion of the block. The temporary structures, which would be demolished when the Temporary 

Terminal ceases operation, have shallow foundations and minimal (14-foot) heights. The AC 

Transit area contains 18 bus bays, 17 designated for AC Transit and 1 for WestCAT. The bus 

bays are sheltered by overhead canopies. Appropriate signage, ticketing kiosks, transit 

information, bike racks, restrooms, and waste receptacles accompany the boarding areas. 

Newly established utility lines that serve the bus facilities connect with existing lines along and 

under the surrounding streets. A two-way circulation area for buses surrounds the center 

boarding facility. Three specially designated walkways connect the perimeter of the block with 

the center boarding facility. As indicated in the FEIS/EIR, all pedestrian access and passenger 

facilities meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Landscaping is included 

at key points along the block perimeter. 

The south end of the block bordering Folsom Street contains Greyhound operating facilities 

including an 8,550–square-foot office structure with ticketing, waiting area, restroom, baggage, 

and trash facilities. Similar to the AC Transit facilities, the temporary structure has a low 

elevation (16 feet) and shallow foundations, and is serviced by utility lines extending from the 

street right-of-way. Greyhound uses 8 bus bays sheltered by 28-foot canvas canopies. An 

exclusive 190-foot-long passenger pick-up and drop-off lane is located in front of the Greyhound 

building off Folsom Street. 

Access to the AC Transit and Greyhound boarding areas is provided mid-block along Beale 

Street (refer to Figure 1). All buses exit on Folsom Street on the east end of the block adjacent 

to a staging area for SamTrans buses. SamTrans also has staging areas along the north side of 

Folsom Street between Beale and Essex streets; these staging areas are shared with the 

Caltrans bike shuttle. 

Boarding areas on the curbside of the surrounding blocks have also been modified from those 

described in the FEIS/EIR (page 2-21). In the revised scenario, SamTrans and Golden Gate 

Transit have separate staging areas on the east side of Main Street (refer to Figure 1). They 

share a boarding area, including a passenger shelter on the sidewalk, along Main near Howard 

Street. Across the street, Muni has a staging area and a boarding island that separates two 

lanes of northbound traffic from a bus lane on the west side of the street. Additional stops for 

Golden Gate Transit are located on the north side of Howard Street at Fremont Street and for 

Muni along Howard Street in front of the Temporary Terminal. Muni is also allotted stops along 

the east side of Main Street north of Howard Street and the west side of Beale Street, and a 

boarding island on Beale Street just south of Howard Street. Muni shares the west side of Beale 

Street with carpool pick-up. Paratransit services are designated along the south curb on Howard 

Street. 

The proposed project revisions would add bus lanes on Howard Street (eastbound direction) and 

would modify bus lanes on Beale Street to allow travel in both southbound and northbound 

directions between Howard and Folsom streets. Immediately north of Howard Street, Beale Street 

is redesigned to accommodate two bus lanes on the east side of the street and one lane on the 

west side with traffic confined to the two center lanes. The reconfigured bus lanes facilitate bus 

turning movements onto Howard and circulation into the bus lane on Beale Street south of 

Howard Street. 
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As indicated in the FEIS/EIR (page 2-23), buses coming off the Bay Bridge use the Harrison 

Street off-ramp to access the Temporary Terminal via Fremont Street, Folsom Street, and the bus 

lane on the east side of Beale Street. Fremont Street south of Folsom Street includes a PM peak 

tow-away lane on the east side of the street to allow AC Transit bus staging. Additionally, Folsom 

Street has a left turn pocket for Golden Gate and SamTrans bus movements onto Fremont Street. 

For outbound buses traveling between the Temporary Terminal and the Bay Bridge, buses depart 

the terminal on Folsom Street and use the Folsom Street westbound bus lane to reach Essex 

Street. Along Essex Street, buses continue in the southbound bus lane to reach the Bay Bridge 

on-ramp (refer to Figure 1). Bus lanes operating against the flow of traffic on these streets are in 

designated contra-flow lanes. 

Additional modifications in the revised scenario include a PM peak bus staging area for AC Transit 

in one eastbound lane of Folsom Street between Fremont and Beale streets, and signal 

modifications along Folsom Street at First, Fremont, Beale, and Main streets and along Howard at 

Beale and Main streets to facilitate bus movement. Table 1 compares the street and bus travel 

lane modifications for the Temporary Terminal described in the FEIS/EIR with those in the revised 

scenario. 
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ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 

Land Use, Wind, and Shadow 

The Revised Temporary Terminal provides the beneficial land use impacts described in the 

FEIS/EIR (pg. 5-2), including the intensification of land uses, the freeing of land for development, 

and enhanced pedestrian circulation. Confining the Temporary Terminal to one block rather than 

two allows earlier development of the unused block according to guidelines specified in the 

Redevelopment Plan (FEIS/EIR pg. 2-44), and included in the analysis of the Redevelopment Plan 

in Section 5.1.1.3 of the FEIS/EIR, pg 5-5. 

Development of the block where the Temporary Terminal is located will occur as described in the 

Redevelopment Plan. The small, temporary structures housing AC Transit and Greyhound offices 

and passenger facilities are low-lying structures that would not alter the wind and shadow analysis in 

the FEIS/EIR (pg 5-13 and 5-18). 

Displacements and Relocations 

The acquisition of 272 Main Street to construct the Temporary Terminal would remain as 

indicated on pg 5-22 and 5-33 of the FEIS/EIR. No other properties would be acquired for the 

Temporary Terminal. 

Socio-economics 

The beneficial socio-economic impacts resulting from the increased activity and economic 

vitality generated by the project would remain as described in the FEIS/EIR (pg. 5-35). 

Community Facilities and Services/Safety and Security 

The Revised Temporary Terminal includes specially designated pedestrian walkways and 

lighting standards that enhance and integrate pedestrian circulation onto one block. The Safety 

and Security guidelines in the FEIS/EIR (pg. 5-122) remain applicable to the Terminal facilities 

constructed on one block. Consolidation of the Terminal facilities does not alter the findings in 

the FEIS/EIR that no additional staff or public service capacity is required to respond to 

emergencies in the area. 

Parklands/Schools/Religious Institutions 

The Revised Temporary Terminal does not alter the finding in the FEIS/EIR (pg. 5-44 and 5-45) 

that no long-term adverse impact would occur to parks, schools, and religious institutions, as 

none of these types of facilities is located on or adjacent to the Temporary Terminal site. The 

parkland designated for the mid-block area of the site in the Redevelopment Plan would be 

constructed after bus operations are moved to the Transit Center and development of the block 

occurs. 

Air Quality 

The consolidation of Temporary Terminal facilities onto one block is not expected to alter the 

mode split of regional vehicle-miles traveled as forecasted in the FEIS/EIR (pg. 5-54). As a 

result, the air quality benefits identified in the FEIS/EIR occur for the Revised Temporary 

Terminal as well. Temporary Terminal construction activities that generate dust or construction 

equipment emissions are reduced to a less-than-significant level employing the mitigations 

described in the FEIS/EIR. 
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Noise and Vibration 

The FEIS/EIR (pg. 5-74) found no long-term adverse noise impacts associated with the 

Transbay Transit Center or bus operations, including the Temporary Terminal. This conclusion 

remains unchanged for the Revised Temporary Terminal because there are no changes in the 

location or nature of Temporary Terminal operations. Noise and vibration impacts generated by 

construction activities are reduced by the mitigation measures identified in the FEIS/EIR. 

Geology and Seismology 

The low-lying temporary structures on the Temporary Terminal site are designed according to 

the San Francisco Building Codes that make construction of these facilities effective in 

minimizing risk from earthquakes and geologic conditions. As a result, no seismic or geologic 

impacts associated with the construction and operation of the Revised Temporary Terminal are 

expected. 

Water Resources and Floodplains 

No long-term adverse impacts on water resources and floodplains were identified in the 

FEIS/EIR. Consolidating the Temporary Terminal onto one block does not change the risk of 

impact to water resources or floodplains from that described in the FEIS/EIR (pg. 5-80). 

Utilities and Energy 

The Revised Temporary Terminal would be served by connecting to existing utility lines that 

traverse the perimeter of the site. Fewer connections are required to serve the terminal on one 

block instead of two. However, the reduction in utility service connections, relative to the entire 

project, is negligible and does not alter the need for new utility service connections or energy 

use as indicated in the FEIS/EIR (pg. 5-81 and 5-126). As a result, the findings on utilities and 

energy in the FEIS/EIR are the same for the Revised Temporary Terminal, including no 

substantial increase in the demand for energy or water by the project. 

Historic and Cultural Resources 

The construction of the Revised Temporary Terminal may uncover archaeological resources. 

The consolidated footprint confines the possible discovery of artifacts to one block rather than 

two. The same procedures for recovery identified in the FEIS/EIR (pg. 5-86 to 5-89) apply to the 

Revised Temporary Terminal. In addition, the Revised Temporary Terminal, like the originally 

approved plan for the Temporary Terminal, would continue to require removal of the loop bus 

ramp leading into the existing Transbay Terminal. The bus ramp is designated as a National 

Historic Resource and, as indicated in the FEIS/EIR (pg.5-90), its removal is considered an 

adverse impact. 

Hazardous Materials 

If hazardous materials are encountered during construction of the Revised Temporary Terminal, 

they will be handled as indicated in the FEIS/EIR (pg. 5-111), i.e., in conformance with 

California Occupational Safety and Health Administration and local ordinance procedures. The 

potential to encounter hazardous materials is slightly reduced by the consolidated footprint of 

the Revised Temporary Terminal. 

Visual and Aesthetic 

The Revised Temporary Terminal incorporates landscape treatments on the AC Transit center 

area and around the perimeter of the block along the pedestrian realm, which is a beneficial 

impact. The low-lying structures, less than 18 feet tall, are confined to one block and do not alter 

the visual context produced by the towering buildings surrounding the site. As stated in the 
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summary of this addendum and in the FEIS/EIR, the structures will be removed as soon as bus 

operations are relocated to the Transit Center, and the land can be developed for multistory 

residential buildings and a park. 

Transportation

Traffic 

Temporary Terminal in the FEIS/EIR. The FEIS/EIR analyzed the impacts of Temporary 

Terminal operations at seven study intersections (Folsom/Main, Folsom/Beale, 

Folsom/Fremont, Folsom/First, Folsom/Essex, Harrison/Fremont, and Harrison/Essex). The 

operations of these intersections were analyzed for weekday PM peak hour conditions for 2006, 

the year that the Temporary Terminal was anticipated to begin operations. The operating 

conditions were analyzed without and with the Temporary Terminal. The San Francisco 

Planning Department examines the level of service (LOS) to determine impact. If intersections 

operate at LOS E or F (representing adverse traffic operations), additional analysis of the 

volume contribution of the project compared with cumulative traffic volumes without the project 

is conducted to determine whether the project would contribute considerably to the cumulative 

traffic increase (FEIS/EIR, pg. 5-140). 

The analysis was conducted using a VISSUM micro-simulation traffic operations model. The 

analysis indicated that without and with the terminal, two intersections (Folsom/First and 

Harrison/Essex) would operate at unacceptable level of service (LOS) conditions (i.e., LOS E 

or LOS F). The contribution of the Temporary Terminal to the poor operating conditions at these 

intersections was determined to be less-than-significant; therefore, Temporary Terminal 

operations were determined to not result in any significant traffic impacts. 

Revised Temporary Terminal. The operation of the Revised Temporary Terminal and the 

potential impact to adjacent streets associated with lane configuration to provide exclusive bus 

lanes between the Temporary Terminal and the Bay Bridge was analyzed using a VISSUM 

micro-simulation traffic operations model (Fehr and Peers, Transbay Terminal – Temporary 

Terminal Transportation Operations Report, March 2008). The model analyzed weekday PM 

peak hour conditions at 25 study intersections in the vicinity of the Temporary Terminal. Table 2 

presents the analysis of 11 critical intersections, including a comparison of the weekday PM 

peak hour LOS at seven intersections studied in the FEIS/EIR and also analyzed for the 

Revised Temporary Terminal. Four additional intersections that are expected to operate at LOS 

E under the revised scenario are also included. 

The intersections of Folsom/Main, Folsom/Beale, Folsom/Fremont, and Harrison/Fremont would 

operate at LOS D or better with the Revised Temporary Terminal. 

Operations at the intersections of Howard/Beale and Folsom/Essex with the reconfiguration of 

roadways and Revised Temporary Terminal operations would improve from LOS E conditions 

without the terminal to LOS D conditions with the terminal. As a result, the Revised Temporary 

Terminal would not result in project-specific impacts to traffic operations at these six 

intersections. 
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Under the revised scenario, the intersections of Howard/First, Harrison/First, and 

Harrison/Second would operate at LOS E conditions both without and with the Revised 

Temporary Terminal. As a result, the contribution of the Revised Temporary Terminal to the 

LOS E operating conditions would not be considered significant, and the Revised Temporary 

Terminal would not result in any project-specific impacts to intersection operations. 

The intersections of Folsom/First and Harrison/Essex would also operate at LOS E conditions 

both without and with the Revised Temporary Terminal. 

• At the intersection of Folsom/First, the traffic volume served under both without and with 

the Revised Temporary Terminal would be less than the existing demand; however, the 

volumes served would be similar for both conditions (within 1 percent of the total volume 

served). 

• At the intersection of Harrison/Essex, under existing conditions (without the Temporary 

Terminal), the volume served in the VISSUM microsimulation model is more than the 

demand. The volume served under existing conditions would be less than without the 

terminal volume served, but very close to the existing demand (within 2 percent of the 

total intersection demand volumes). 

An examination of the traffic volumes at the intersections of Folsom/First and Harrison/Essex, 

without and with the Revised Temporary Terminal, indicates that the difference in volume 

between operations without the terminal and operations with the terminal would be minimal, 

would not change the LOS, and would be within the daily variation in traffic volumes. Therefore, 

the project contribution to the LOS E conditions would not be considered significant, and the 

Revised Temporary Terminal would not result in any project-specific impacts to vehicle 

operations at these intersections. 

Transit 

The study of bus operations along the streets surrounding the terminal and within the terminal 

using a VISSUM micro-simulation traffic operations model concludes that the Revised 

Temporary Terminal traffic and bus lane configuration and consolidation of passenger boarding 

and waiting facilities does not impede bus operations (Fehr and Peers, March 2008). The 

terminal would accommodate the existing service levels provided in the existing Transbay 

Terminal. Sufficient capacity exists to accommodate peak period staging and the boarding of 

buses, although occasional delays may occur for buses that must wait for space to become 

available in the boarding area. 

Pedestrian 

The pedestrian environment at the Revised Temporary Terminal site will be enhanced by 

designated walkways connecting the perimeter of the block with the center boarding facilities. 

Landscaping and redesigned sidewalks will also improve the pedestrian realm. Consolidating 

transit operations onto one block will provide pedestrians moving between bus boarding areas 

with a safer and more conducive environment for accessing transit, a beneficial impact. 

Parking 

As indicated in the FEIS/EIR, curbside parking would be removed around the perimeter of the 

Temporary Terminal. The removal of curbside parking would not change under the revised 

scenario. As the FEIS/EIR concluded, the minor reduction in the downtown parking supply is not 

considered a significant impact under the City’s applicable transportation policies. 
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In summary, the reconfiguration of the street system to support the Revised Temporary 

Terminal conditions and the Temporary Terminal bus operations would not result in significant 

traffic, transit, pedestrian, or parking impacts. 

ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS 

Based on the above information and analysis, the proposed revisions to the Temporary Terminal 

will not trigger the need for subsequent environmental review pursuant to Public Resources Code 

Section 21166 and Section 15162 of the CEQA guidelines. The proposed changes to the 

Temporary Terminal described in this addendum would not change the magnitude of the 

environmental impacts disclosed in the FEIS/EIR, but would provide the following environmental 

benefits. 

• Reduced area required for Temporary Terminal operations and the availability of the 

unused portion of the site for planned development to support the financing of the project 

earlier than envisioned in the FEIS/EIR 

• Reduced risk of uncovering hazardous materials or archaeological artifacts during 

construction of the Temporary Terminal, due to the consolidation of bus operation to one 

instead of two blocks 

• Reduced utilities and public service infrastructure to support Temporary Terminal 

operation 

• Improved bus circulation and access to the Bay Bridge through additional bus lanes and 

bi-directional lanes to facilitate bus movement to and from the Bay Bridge ramps 

• Improved intersection operation from LOS E conditions without the Temporary Terminal 

to LOS D conditions with the Temporary Terminal at the intersections of Howard/Beale 

and Folsom/Essex, due to the reconfiguration of roadways and consolidation of bus 

operations 

• Improved pedestrian realm created by designated and well-lighted walkways, 

landscaped and redesigned sidewalk areas, and more safe and convenient transfers 

between bus boarding areas 

• Improved waiting areas and public facilities at the AC Transit and Greyhound boarding 

areas 

The revisions to the Temporary Terminal described in this addendum would not require major 

revisions to the FEIS/EIR due to new or substantially increased significant environmental 

effects. Furthermore, there have been no substantial changes with respect to the circumstances 

under which these modifications would be undertaken that would require major revisions of the 

FEIS/EIR due to new or substantially increased significant environmental effects; and there has 

been no discovery of new information of substantial importance that would trigger or require 

major revisions to the FEIS/EIR due to new or substantially increased significant environmental 

effects. Therefore, no subsequent or supplemental environmental impact report is required prior 

to approval of the revisions to the Temporary Terminal configuration and design as described in 

this addendum. 
Figure 1, Revised Temporary Terminal Config